Formalities For Bibliographic Data Change Relating To Transfer Of Rights

Once an applicant files an invention, utility model or design patent application with China's National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), the applicant will then obtain the rights related to the patent application, i.e. the rights of ownership of the patent application. The rights of ownership include, among others, the right to assign the patent application to others. Assignment made during the prosecution of a patent application is called assignment of application right, while assignment made after the grant of a patent is called assignment of patent right.

Pursuant to the provisions in the Chinese Patent Law, "Where the right of patent application or the patent right is assigned, the parties shall conclude a written contract and register it with the patent administration department under the State Council. The patent administration department under the State Council shall announce the registration. The assignment shall take effect as of the date of